This invention relates to a machine for harvesting a standing crop and particularly although not exclusively to a swather that is a windrower, or combine in which the standing crop is cut and transported laterally to a central position on the machine.
There has been a move in recent years for all farm machinery to increase in size so that it can operate on larger and larger widths of field or crop in one passage thus reducing the movement of heavy machinery over the field and reducing time and fuel usage.
In swathers, this increase in size has been provided by increasing the width of a single swather that is a single blade and reel arrangement mounted on a table which is transported across the field either by being self-propelled or by being drawn by a tractor. There is however a limit to the width which can be achieved in this manner since any variations in ground height will cause a variation in the height of action of the knife on the crop. Attempts have therefore been made to mount two separate headers or swathers on a single frame. Various proposals have mounted these on the front and sides of a tractor or propulsion unit. In an alternative arrangement which is towed by a tractor the swathers are mounted in echelon with one rearwardly of and towed by the first.
One particular problem with swathers is that of moving the swather to a transport position so that it can be driven on conventional roads or highways since in many cases the farmer must negotiate such highways to move from one field to another. In many cases therefore the swather can pivot from a working position in which it is transverse to the direction of movement to a transport position in which it is longitudinal to the direction of movement. However, in arrangements where the swather is positioned forwardly of the tractor or propulsion unit, such movements to transport position have been very limited or totally absent thus making the swather very difficult to transport.
It is one object of the present invention, therefore, to provide a new design of swather, combine or other harvesting machine which increases the width of operation of the machine by providing twin or double headers and yet mounts the headers in a manner which is convenient for movement to a transport position.
According to a first aspect of the invention, therefore, there is provided a machine for harvesting a standing crop comprising a frame a having a front end and a pair of sides, ground wheels for supporting the frame for driving movement across a field to be harvested, a pair of headers for cutting the standing crop each including knife means for cutting the crop and means thereon for transporting the cut crop transversely of the direction of motion, and means mounting the headers on the frame at the front end thereof such that, in a working position thereof, the headers abut at the front end and extend outwardly therefrom to respective sides of the frame, said mounting means including pivot coupling means where-by each said header can pivot from said working position to a transport position in which it lies along a respective side of the frame generally parallel to the direction of movement.
Preferably the twin headers are arranged to abut centrally of the frame and are mounted on pivot couplings arranged at front corners of the frame that is spaced from the end of the respective header whereby pivotal movement about the pivot coupling causes the swather to move from the working position to a transport position along side the side of the frame.
Preferably also the pivot couplings arrange to be of a type which causes movement of the header to a raised position where the knife means is lifted to lie along side the frame as the header is pivoted into the transport position.
Such a pivotal coupling can be provided by a pair of pivot members with the axis of movement thereof arranged inclined relative to the working and transport positions in such a way that the pivot movement through ninety degrees toward the transport position also causes the pivotal movement upward of the knife.
A machine of this type therefore enables cutting of a swath of for example forty-eight feet in width using two twenty-four foot headers and at the same time the headers can be pivoted around and inwardly into the transport position thus reducing the width of the swather to the order of fifteen feet which provides a legally transportable unit.
Preferably the movement from the working to the transport positions is achieved by driving ground wheels of the outer ends of the headers in forward or reversed directions as required.
According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a machine for harvesting a standing crop comprising a frame having a front end and a pair of sides, ground wheels for supporting the frame for driving movement across a field to be harvested, a pair of headers for cutting the standing crop each including means for cutting the crop and means thereon for transporting the cut crop transversely of the direction of motion, means mounting the headers on the frame at the front end thereof such that, in a working position thereof, the headers abut at the front end and extend outwardly therefrom to respective sides of the frame, and pivot coupling means mounting one of said headers on said frame such that it can pivot from said working position to a transport position in which it lies along a respective side of the frame generally parallel to the direction of movement and such that as it pivots the cutting means thereof is raised upwardly and inwardly toward the frame.
Such an arrangement can be manufactured particularly on a combine where substantially a conventional fixed header extends from one adjacent front corner of the frame outwardly toward and beyond the opposed side, and the moveable pivotal header is fixed at the same front corner for pivotal movement to a transport position along the one side.
In accordance with a further preferred feature, reels on the headers are mounted upon reel arms which allow movement of the reels longitudinally of the reel so that the reels can be arranged to abut at the center of the frame while over-lapping thereof is avoided on lifting of the outer end of one or both of the headers.
With the foregoing in view, and other advantages as will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention relates as this specification proceeds, the invention is herein described by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, which includes a description of the best mode known to the applicant and of the preferred typical embodiment of the principles of the present invention, in which: